Research two major computer security incidents that have happened in Qatar. For each, describe:
• What did the attackers break into?
• How did the attackers break into it?
• Who was impacted?
• How was it investigated?
1) Qatar National Bank
The multinational commercial bank suffered from a massive security breach in 2016 whereby 15,500 documents with bank corporate files and customer information in clear text were posted online on the whistleblower website Cryptome. The 1.5GB trove of leaked documents included passwords, credit card numbers, expiration dates, PINs, credit holder names, account details, credit limits, etc. One of the users tried to use leaked information to log into the existing account for research purposes and almost succeeded. The bank had two-factor authentication and did not let the user in. The data leak affected some of the government representatives and media outlets, dipping share prices by about 1%. The method by which the attackers gained access to the database remains uncertain. So far, neither Cryptome has provided any details regarding the incident nor Qatar National Bank has disclosed any information to the media regarding the breach. As a result, it is unfeasible to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this extensive leak.
2) Al Jazeera Media Network
In 2021, the largest Arab-speaking media network experienced four days of severe cyberattacks that ranged from DDoS to account hijacking and malware. The main goal of the attacks was to get into the system, disrupt its regular functioning, and control news outlets. However, Al Jazeera IT service provider managed to control the attacks and hackers did not reach any of their goals.
For more information, please visit:
CyberLands Reuters AlJazeera